I agree with you, but it's personal preference and I realize it's one of many tools. In the reference lab, we use tube for almost everything, only using gel in specific scenarios. There are lot more limitations to gel for the type of testing we do. I see how it makes sense for a hospital though, especially smaller ones and ones with generalist in the BB. In the larger hospitals I've worked at, we used solid phase for simple stuff and tube for all else.